Pile fabric



March 15, 1938. E. F. cAsTLES FILE FABRIC Original Filed Aug. 21, 1936FIG. I..

In u/entor.

EUGENE E (74571.55. B

A ftor iii Patented 1, E5

2,110,867 lPlllLlE FABRIC Eugene F. Castles, Glen Ridge, N.

(Collins & Aihman Corporation,

.31., assignor to lihiladelplhia,

Pa, a corporation of Delaware @riginal appiication August 21,- 1936,Serial No. 91,189. Divided and this application Septemliter 4, 1937,Serial No. 162,459

3 @laims.

method of producing pile fabrics for upholstery and decorative usehaving pile of a plurality of heights, part or all of which pile may bewhat is commonly termed cut pile in the weaving art. It is sometimesdesirable because of visual and wearing characteristics of such fabricsthat the height of the cut pile be greater than that of the uncut pileor loops.

I may also produce simulations of natural pelts by the processeshereinafter more fully set forth.

It is within the scope of the present invention to fabricate and processfabrics which comprise pile yarns of a single textile fibre or of blendsof textile fibres. These fibres may include wool, mohair, cotton, silkas well as artificial or natural animal or vegetable fibres which havethe desired shrinking or dyeing qualities and which may be used toadvantage alone or in combination with other fibres.

An object of my invention is to produce a pile fabric having a pluralityof heights of pile tufts or fibres in the finished article.

It is a further object of my invention to produce pile fabrics havingcut and uncut pile, the cut pile being of greater height than the uncutand to effect such difference in pile height by local treatment of theface side .of the fabricated piece.

Further objects and advantages will be manifest from the followingdescription, claims and. drawing, wherein;

Fig. I illustrates a top view of a fabric dyed with a single dyesolution, and having a design of cut pile therein.

Fig. II illustrates diagrammatically the interlacing of threads in boththe figure and field of the fabric shown in Fig. I.

Fig. III illustrates diagrammatically a loop pile fabric produced from afabric woven with a uniform pile height.

Fig. IV illustrates a simulation of an animal pelt with the backingyarns impregnated to give the fabric qualities closely resembling thatof skins of animals.

In carrying my invention into practice, the particular treating agentsselected for my procass is of course governed by the character of thefabrics and fibres being treated. My preferred practice is to treat afabricated pile structure but in some instances the yarns or fibressubsequently used for intimately blended yarns may be treated before theblending operation and/or fabrication is complete.

One method which may be used in the practice of this invention is toWeave a uniform uncut pile fabric consisting of mohair or wool pileyarns and a cotton backing and. subsequently to impregnate predeterminedareas of the pile portion thereof with a paste made by mixing 50 partsof dry calcium thiocyanate with 50 parts of water and 30 parts of a 2%carob gum aqueous dispersion. The paste may be applied by means of aprint roller and after application of the paste, the fabric is steamedfor 5 minutes at 212 F, washed and then dried. Although I have indicatedthe use of a print roller, I contemplate that screen, stencil or blockprintingmay be used if desired.

The fabric treated in the manner above described will now have uncutpile loops of different heights as indicated in Fig. III of the drawing,as the treatment of the wool or mohair pile will result in a shrinkageof approximately 50% of the height of the pile in the area on which thepaste has been applied. The words substantial shrinkage as used in theclaims are intended to mean sufficient shrinkage to produce fabricpatterns because of the visually apparent differences in the height ofthe fibres, tufts, or loops. It is to be understood that 50% is not acritical percentage of shrinkage for producing these results. If thefabric has been previously dyed, it may be immediately used forfurniture or other upholstery use or if the treatment was performed on afabric in the grey, it will be subsequently dyed before us Pile fabrics(Figs. I and II) on their face may be produced according to thisinvention in contrasting shades of the same color with a single dyebecause the visual effect of dyed cut and uncut pile is materiallydifferent. This difference is accentuated by having the cut pile ofgreater height than the uncut. To accomplish this result, it has been aprior practice to weave the pile fabric on a wire loom and to use pilewires of different heights. This pri'or method is both expensive andrestricted in its scope because of the limited number of patterns thatcan be woven by this method. I overcome the disadvantage of this andother prior practices and produce a fabric of any desired figuration byweaving an uncut pile fabhaving both out and uncut pile 4 ric of uniformpile height, (thus avoiding complicated shedding and wire arrangements)treating the fabric as above described and subsequently shearing theface side of the fabric. The untreated area will retain substantiallyits original heightand the tips of these pile loops can be sheared by ashear or cutter without injuring the shorter pile loops. After shearing,the cut pile tuft will be of greater height than the uncut loop. Thefabric may be yarn dyed, yarn printed, dyed in the piece or dyedsubsequently to the shrinking or shearing operation. The amount ofshrinkage may be varied by modifying the treatment of the pile fibresand a single fabric may comprise the different modificationsillustrated.

Simulations of natural animal pelts may be produced by using a yarnblended from two or more fibres, cotton and mohair for example. Thefibres of the pile yarns are intimately blended during the yarnpreparation and if the fabric be woven on the double plush principle andcut on the loom, a long cut pile fabric of uniform pile height may bewoven. The uniform application of a paste prepared as described aboveand subsequent washing and drying of the fabric or the immersion of thefabric in a suitable bath will result in the production of a cut pilefabric having some of its cut pile fibres shorter in length than othersin much the same fashion as certain pelts. Tussah silk and mohair'blended together will produce a similar result as the mohair will shrinkapproximately 50% and the silk will be unaffected. The blending ispreferably done in a single soft twisted yarn rather than in a doublingoperation. Attractive effects may be produced by union or cross dyeingif desired.

My invention is applicable to fabrics woven with loops, V-pile tufts orwith W-pile tufts interlaced with three or more backing threads. Thebacking may consist of cotton wefts 3 and warps 4 and 5. The shorttreated loops are designated in the drawing at 6, the cut pile at I andthe untreated loops at 8. The long fibres 9 (Fig. IV) are thoseunaffected by the shrinkage treatment, whereas short fibres ID are theeffected fibres. The backing threads and that portion of the loops ortufts which lie in the plane of the backing threads may be impregnatedwith 8. normally insoluble adhesive material such as latex. The adhesivemay be applied to the backing through the back without destroying thetextile appearance of the back of the fabric and without filling theinterstices between the threads with adhesive material. The applicationof latex or the like prevents a run or pulling of a thread if a singleloop be snagged, keeps the V-pile. from pushing out the back and givesto the simulated pelt flexing characteristics approaching that of theanimals skin. This latter result is obtained by applying a latex mixhaving a higher rubber content than is necessary or desirable in theother modifications illustrated. The latex or other adhesive is in allcases confined to the backing portion of the fabric. The adhesive may beapplied before or after the shrinking treatment.

In general, barium, lithium and ammonium thiocyanates may be substitutedfor calcium thiocyanate and used in the same manner with substantiallythe same results. Shrinking agents such as sodium and potassiumhydroxide in a 15% solution may in some cases be used and the fabric oryarn subsequently rinsed in dilute acetic acid. Caution must beexercised if the latter two shrinking agents be employed, or injury tothe pile fibre, particularly if it be wool or mohair, will result.

The above description is illustrative of applications of my inventionwhich is restricted only by the scope of the claims. Having described myinvention, I claim:

1. A pile fabric comprising a backing structure and an upstanding pilestructure interlaced therewith, said pile structure being of the samekind of yarn throughout and comprising a relatively low shrunken pileloop area and a higher unshrunk pile tuft area.

2. A pile fabric comprising a backing structure and an upstanding pilestructure interlaced therewith, said pile structure being of the samekind of yarn throughout and comprising a relatively low shrunken pileloop area and a higher unshrunk pile loop area.

3. A pile fabric comprising a backing structure and an upstanding pilestructure interlaced therewith, said pile structure containing mohairand being of the same kind of yarn throughout and comprising arelatively low shrunken pile loop area and a higher unshrunk pile tuftarea.

EUGENE F. CASTLES.

DISCLAIMER 2,110,867. Eugene F. Castles, Glen Ridge, N. J. PILE FABRIC.

March 15, 1938. Disclaimer filed June 15, 1938, by the assi Ai/cmanCorporation.

Hereby enters this disclaimer to 01 aim 2 in said specification.[Oflicial Gazette July 5, 1938.]

Patent dated gnee, Collins c

